The present invention relates to a kit for the hygiene of removable dental prostheses, which consist partially or completely of resin, stellite or other suitable synthetic material.
For many years there has been a great contrast between on the one hand, the exactitude and precision in the shaping of an adjunct prosthesis as well as the multitude of techniques deployed for their production, and, on the other hand, the relatively small number of techniques and materials concerned with the cleaning, sterilization, storage, and transport of such prosthesis.
With regard to cleaning the prosthesis, it is well known that only good regular brushing permits proper cleaning of an adjunct prostheses. Unfortunately, suitable brushes which permit a cleaning which is both easy and effective are lacking. As a result, most patients will be content using conventional toothbrushes and toothpaste for this purpose. However, these brushes do not permit a correct cleaning of the parts to which access is difficult. Also, the use of toothpaste risks concealing the small areas to be cleaned, because of the development of foam.
With regard to the sterilization of the prostheses, this is indispensable in the same way as the brushing. Any prosthesis, of which a part or a whole is made of acrylic resin, is colonized with microorganisms which lodge in the many pores of this material. This is especially true when the prosthesis ages. Regular brushing can remove some of these microorganisms, especially at the surface, but it cannot eliminate them completely, especially in the pores. Yet the elimination of these bacteria is indispensable in order to prevent their accumulation and the formation of tartar and subprosthetic macerations.
Specialists generally recommend that this sterilization be carried out either in a 0.02% chlorhexidine solution or in contact with chlorhexidine vapor. This sterilization also requires appropriate containers, which do not exist at the present time.
Another important problem, and one closely related to sterilization, is the storage of the dental prostheses. Protheses, especially those of acrylic resin, must be kept in a moist medium in order to prevent deformations due to phenomenon of dehydration at the level of the resins. Thus, for the periods during which they are not worn, the prostheses must be stored in a moist medium. If this period is relatively short, for example overnight, the patients who remove their prostheses for the night can immerse them in a sterilizing liquid. However, in case of longer storage periods, complete immersion in a sterilizing liquid is harmful because of the absorption phenomena of the liquid at the level of the resins. This phenomena can result in volumetric variations and reduce the mechanical strength of the prostheses. The long immersion problem can be very common since many patients have prosthesis spares so they are not caught unprepared in the event of a repair or alteration requiring the original prosthesis to be sent to the laboratory.
The transport of removable prostheses, when not worn in the mouth, can also cause problems, since the fragility of these prostheses necessitates a great deal of care in their handling and their storage.